Mt. Prospect/Arlington Hts. dog park named 'Canine Commons'

It's official! The name of the new dog park at Melas Park in Mount Prospect is Canine Commons.

The nearly 2-acre dog park is a joint venture between Mount Prospect and Arlington Heights park districts.

An online naming contest was held by both districts in January with members of the public voting for their favorite during February. Once the votes were tallied, “Canine Commons” was the winner.

“We're happy to be working in partnership with Arlington Heights Park District to provide our residents with this newest recreation area,” said Greg Kuhs, executive director of the Mount Prospect Park District.

“It's been designed to encourage dogs and their owners to socialize and have some fun in a responsible way. We think it's going to be a very popular area.”

The dog park will encompass 1.82 acres of fenced land for canines to play and run. It will also feature a shade canopy, benches, waste containers and bag dispensers.

A total of 500 annual memberships will be sold beginning in May at both park districts. A grand opening is scheduled for June. Details on memberships and the grand opening to follow.

Melas Park is at 1500 W. Central Road, Mount Prospect. Regulations governing the dog park can be found on each park district's website. Visit www.mppd.org for more information.